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Is Canada really a caring nation?: Hepburn

Back in 2010 when he was formally installed as Governor General, David Johnston described Canada as a “smart and caring nation.”

But Johnston also cautioned that there was “much work to be done to fully achieve our vision” of Canada as a world-class model of a compassionate society.

Canada appears actually to be slipping a bit — not improving — when it comes to some key indicators of a caring nation. (Carlos Osorio / Toronto Star)

To that end, the Governor General has called on all Canadians to help him build a more caring nation leading up to Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017.

It’s a laudatory goal because, despite what we may think, Canada appears actually to be slipping a bit — not improving — when it comes to some key indicators of a caring nation, such as our views on human rights, bigotry, minorities, philanthropy and volunteerism.

Indeed, recent polls and government reports raise the serious question:

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Is Canada really a caring nation?

For generations, many Canadians have smugly held on to the conviction that we are indeed a generous, caring nation — one of the best in the world if not the best.

But is that just a myth we perpetuate in the hopeful belief that Canada is somehow better than other nations when it comes to generosity, inclusiveness and acceptance of others?

It’s an especially important question during this season of giving, when millions of Canadians are donating to charitable organizing, volunteering at community groups such as food banks or helping with toy drives for children.

But there is mounting evidence across the country that we’re not as caring as we would like to think.

For example, while almost all Canadians aged 15 or older donate money, goods or food to charitable causes each year, the average amount we actually give is falling, according to a 2012 Statistics Canada report.

This “donor fatigue” as it is often called is being felt by charitable groups big and small throughout Canada. Fundraising organizers and food drive volunteers talk increasingly about how hard they must work just to keep donations at a steady level, let alone hope for real increases.

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Another measure of Canada’s “caring” attitude is our organ donation rate, which is among the worst in the world, trailing other countries such as the United States and Spain by wide margins.

At the same time, a major new nationwide poll released late last month found Canadians give our country just “a lukewarm rating” for its performance over the past 10 years in protecting human rights both at home and abroad.

Barely half of those surveyed believe Canada has done an excellent or good job, while slightly fewer of us feel today that our domestic record is better or as good as other western countries than was reflected in a similar poll conducted in 2010.

The survey, commissioned by the Trudeau Foundation and conducted by telephone between Sept. 17 and Oct. 13 by the Environics Institute for Survey Research, also found large majorities of Canadians feel there’s widespread discrimination in Canada against minority groups, including Aboriginal Peoples, Muslims, blacks, new immigrants and gays and lesbians.

“I don’t think most people believe we do a great job” in terms of discrimination and bigotry, says Keith Neuman, executive director of the

Environics Institute.

This perception has been rising over the last 10 years, particularly when it relates to Muslims and aboriginals, he adds.

More than 80 per cent of those surveyed are convinced Aboriginal Peoples face discrimination often or sometimes, up sharply from a 2011 survey and continuing a rising pattern dating back to 2004.

Similarly, some 81 per cent of Canadians feel Muslims and new immigrants are the targets of bigotry, with the responsibility for such discrimination being fairly equally blamed on government policies and aboriginal and new immigrants themselves.

The survey findings regarding Muslims are more pronounced in Quebec, where attacks on Muslims have reportedly risen since the provincial government proposed a law banning public servants from wearing religious symbols, such the hijab, the veil worn by modest Islamic women.

These trends and findings haven’t gone unnoticed. Last June, more than 600 community leaders from across Canada met in Winnipeg to seek ways of working toward a more caring nation and addressing such issues as aboriginal affairs and human rights.

Johnston has encouraged their work, arguing Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017 is a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to look at where we can and must do better.

As Christmas and the season of giving move closer, it’s easy for many Canadians to feel snug in their belief that we’re doing just fine as a generous and compassionate country.

Don’t be fooled, though. Signs that suggest we aren’t as good as we’d like to believe are growing — and they won’t go away unless more of us take up Johnston’s call for “a more caring nation.

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